


Avenger Assemble

by Varewulf



Series: SE.RA.PH. At Peace [9]
Category: Fate/Extella, Fate/Grand Order, Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Silly, let Nero fuck, okay maybe not that sorry, sorry for the bad pun title
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-07-01 21:44:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15782709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Varewulf/pseuds/Varewulf
Summary: Another new Servant gets summoned in the Wastes of SE.RA.PH., and it's the one Jeanne D'Arc had feared the most would show up.(Yeah, I couldn't resist bringing Jalter into this.)





	Avenger Assemble

**Author's Note:**

> I have a constant debate with myself about how many Servants I want to drag into this setting, as I already probably have more than I know what to do with. Or have time to do anything with, at least. I no longer play Fate GO myself, because my bad gacha luck was upsetting me too much. Would it have been so hard for them to give me a single umu? But I saw other people tweet about the summer event, and what Jalter is up to now, and I fell for the temptation to bring her in.
> 
> I did play the campaign where she originally shows up, but I gather she's changed quite a bit since then. I can't claim to have an accurate read on what she's like now, but I gave it a shot based on what other people have shown me. That she's tired of fighting, but wants to have a fun time, and not get left out. I saw the part about how she learned to get used to reading via manga, and that she got a summer form because Jeanne got one, so she wanted one too. And how she eagerly studied tourist brochures and catalogues to prepare for the trip to Hawaii. And the bit in the hotel room where she tries to get the staff to get rid of Jeanne because she says she's her big sister. And that she's started her own doujinshi circle, so I got the suggestion of having her draw things for Altera to colour.
> 
> So all of those little things got put together in my mind into this. I wanted to make her a little different from Salter, as well. It was fun to think up, and fun to write. (And yes, I like doing these dramatic openings with anti-climactic endings.)

The Wastes. The term most used for the vast area of SE.RA.PH. that was still empty. While the Moon Cell continually created new lands, it seemed to have a policy of working on one area at a time, perhaps wanting to bring it up to a certain standard, before moving onto the next.

It was impossible to ascertain how far the Wastes stretched, in large part due to the perpetual mist that blanketed the area. It was hard to see very far in front of you, or perhaps that was just the illusion it wanted to portray. The ground was never visible outside of exactly where you were standing, and in this empty expanse it was hard to tell how high the mist rose, or how close it was. It played with your senses. Most people wouldn't dare try to go out there, as they weren't sure if they could make it back. Though there were some who were less at risk than others. Like Servants with the ability to teleport back out.

Jeanne d'Arc idly watched the mist swirl about as she walked. This was her first time out in the Wastes. Her skills let her monitor them from a distance, so there was no need for her to actually set foot out there. But lately she had come to realise that she might have been negligent in her duties, considering she had missed the arrival of some really powerful, and potentially dangerous, Servants. Thankfully they had not caused any trouble, but that was no excuse to not have known of their presence.

Though she still hadn't needed to actually come out here. It was just... a feeling. As if something was calling her out here. As if she knew exactly where to go, and when to go there. Something was telling her soul what her destination was, and that it was right up ahead. There was something she needed to see, something that was waiting for her. She felt uneasy, but she didn't fight the feeling. Maybe it was the Moon Cell alerting her to something important.

If it wasn't for the feeling guiding her, Jeanne would be completely lost. In a sense she was already lost, as she didn't know exactly where she was, and everywhere around her looked identical. Then a light appeared in front of her, breaking through the mist. She recognised it, it was the light of a summoning circle. The shape was unmistakable. A new Servant was arriving at that very moment. Who was the Moon Cell summoning this time? Or was someone else behind these summonings? But she couldn't sense anyone anywhere nearby.

A wind whipped up, and completely cleared the mist around the circle, letting Jeanne see the entire process clearly. A long pole formed from the aether, and while it might at first seem like a spear, Jeanne recognised it for what it was. As a large banner sprung out from it, attached to the top part, her suspicion was confirmed. A sinking feeling appeared in her chest.

A black gauntlet materialised, and grabbed the banner pole. The rest of the body attached to that gauntlet appeared out of the whirling mana, crafted from the digital data of this world, and covered in black armour across the entire torso and arms. A long black cloak with a fuzzy mantle, dark purple designs, and singed ends, formed and flowed down the person's back. Long legs wearing black stockings ended in feet encased in armoured boots that set their first steps onto this world.

As the figure emerged fully formed, it was clear that the ashen skin was their natural tone, and not just because the summoning process hadn't been finished. A familiar-looking head-piece formed on top of the silver hair, and the eyes finally opened to show their yellow colour. Eyes that settled directly on Jeanne.

"Oh. It's _you_ ," the woman said in an eerily familiar voice.

It was like looking into a dark mirror. In front of Ruler Jeanne d'Arc stood Avenger Jeanne d'Arc Alter. Jeanne's hand immediately went for the hilt of her sword.

"Relax, I'm not here to fight," Jeanne Alter said quite casually. "In fact I'm not sure why I'm here at all. Or where 'here' is." She looked around at the mist that was closing back in around them. "Not a lot around here, is there?"

Jeanne's eyes narrowed. "What do you want?" she asked. There was no hostility emanating from her Alter, but that could all be a trick.

"Well, it would be nice to know what's going on," Jalter said. "Going by your reaction, you weren't the one who summoned me. Though I'm not sensing anyone else around."

Jeanne hesitated. She had been worrying that this would happen, but surely that wasn't what had caused Jalter's summoning. Surely. Still, what was the Moon Cell thinking? "You seem awfully relaxed," she said, still not sure how to approach this situation. "That confident you can beat me?"

"Hm?" Jalter smirked. "Oh no, I just know you won't attack first. You're too nice." Then she sighed. "Listen, I know you don't trust me, but I really don't want to fight. I'd prefer a bath. Being back in this armour is a little uncomfortable."

Jeanne blinked. "What do you mean?" was all she could think to ask.

"Well... I don't really want to go through it all right here," Jalter said. She sounded tired. "I've been through a lot. Can I ask how much you remember?"

"Remember? Of what?" Jeanne wasn't about to let down her guard, but her confusion was rising.

"Of... everything we've been through." Jalter waved her hands about aimlessly. "Where on the timeline are you? Surely there must be somewhere in you that remembers? It would save a lot of time."

Jeanne could feel something stirring inside her at Jalter's words, but nothing that felt concrete. It could still be a trick.

"No luck, huh?" Jalter sighed, and rolled her shoulders. "Well, can I at least trade my sword for going somewhere I can have a bath?" she asked, and reached for her sheath.

Jeanne lifted her blade a few centimetres, and braced for an attack, but Jalter just unhooked the whole sheath, and offered it up.

"No, that's... okay," Jeanne said. Getting close enough to accept the sheath didn't feel wise, but Jalter wasn't showing any signs of attacking. Bringing her anywhere there were people around was a huge risk, but leaving her on her own might be even worse. Who knew where she would end up, and what she would do. If Jeanne brought her along, at least she could keep an eye on her. "I can show you somewhere," she said, and pushed her blade back down.

Jalter attached her sword-sheath back onto her waist. "Great. Maybe I'll find someone more talkative there, too," she said with a slight smile.

Jeanne went into a neutral stance, though her hand remained on her sword. "But remember: Big sister is watching you," she said.

Jalter groaned. "Of course you had to remember _that_ part."

* * *

"She settled right in," Hakuno said, sounding like someone who was way beyond being surprised by anything that happened any longer.

"Really?" Jeanne still had the capacity to be surprised, though. Taking her Alter to New Roma had been a really big risk, but it was also the place where it was most likely she would be stopped if she tried anything. Nero and Hakuno had immediately invited them to the palace. Even telling Jeanne it was no problem if she had to take off for any reason.

Which she had unfortunately had to. She had come back as soon as she was able, but it had taken her a few days. During which she had felt guilty the whole time.

"Yes, absolutely." Hakuno put down the notepad she'd been writing in, and showed Jeanne a smile. "You know how much Altera loves you, don't you? So she started attaching herself to your Alter pretty much right away. She's been dubbed 'Auntie Jalter' now, and seems to have accepted her fate. I must say, she seems easier to deal with than Salter. She's a bit easier to talk to, at least."

"Auntie..." This didn't sound anything like what Jeanne had expected.

"Come now, don't look so crestfallen," Hakuno said in a comforting tone. Somehow the woman had gotten close enough to pat Jeanne on the head. "You haven't been replaced. Altera was really looking forward to drawing with both of you when you came back."

Jeanne blinked. "Drawing?"

Hakuno stepped back. "Yeah, Jalter draws," she said. "She's decent at it, too. So those two have a little setup where Jalter draws things, and Altera colours them."

"Wha... what does she draw?" Jeanne felt compelled to ask.

"Anything Altera asks her to, mostly. Altera has even started drawing her own things. See?" Hakuno pointed at the wall, which had a handful of childlike drawings hanging on it. The middle one had been framed, and showed what was probably meant to be Altera standing with Hakuno, Nero, and Tamamo. They were very basic figures, like you'd see from an elementary schooler, but one had a red dress, and a sword; one had a blue dress, pointy ears, and a tail; and in the middle was someone in a white dress. Someone with brown skin, and white hair, was drawn beneath them. Hakuno was beaming with pride.

Jeanne was amazed. She hadn't been gone for long, but things seemed to have changed rapidly in her absence.

"Come on, I'll show you," Hakuno said, opening the door to the hallway. Jeanne followed after.

"What else... does she do?" Jeanne asked.

"Well, she also seems to be working on a comic, but she won't let me see it yet." Hakuno sounded interested in it. "She also hangs out with Salter. I suppose Alters naturally get along? I'm not sure what Salter has been telling her though, since I've started getting suspicious looks from her." She heaved a dramatic sigh.

"Huh..." Jeanne was having a hard time taking all this in. While things had somehow worked out to not turn into all-out combat between Artoria and her Alter, she had still expected a similar level of animosity from her own Alter. Yet the only feeling she had picked up from her counterpart was weariness. World-weariness, even. Maybe she hadn't been lying when she said she'd been through a lot. Yet it was hard to stop feeling like it could all be a trick.

Still... maybe the two of them should talk.

"Here we go, I think they should be in here," Hakuno said, as they came to a stop outside the play room where Jeanne had first been when babysitting Altera. Hakuno pushed the door open. Things had been changed around a little, like there was a bigger table in there now, around which sat Altera, and Jeanne Alter. Both very occupied with the pads of paper in front of them. Jalter had swapped her armour for a black dress, and a dark blue coat hung from the back of her chair. And there was a third person present, too: Elizabeth Bathory.

Jeanne had been there when they brought Elizabeth back, but she had been in a very poor state at the time. That had been what Hakuno, Nero, and Tamamo had set out to do while Jeanne was on babysitting duty. Though Jeanne hadn't learned that until they came back.

Elizabeth looked in much better shape this time, though as she looked up, and saw who had entered the room, she froze.

"Oh. You're back," Jalter said in a flat tone, as she too looked towards the door.

"Auntie Jeanne!" Altera immediately sprung to her feet, and charged right into Jeanne.

Jeanne felt a little silly about how relieved she was feeling. Had she really worried that she might have been replaced? "Nice to see you, Altera," she said with a smile.

"I didn't know you were also here, Elizabeth," Hakuno commented after ruffling Altera's hair. Jeanne stroked it more carefully to make it nice and neat again.

"She's helping out!" Altera said cheerfully. "Auntie Jalter says that Liz has skilled fingers."

"Uh... w-well..." Elizabeth looked a bit like a deer caught in headlights. "I-it's only natural. I make my own outfits. A few drawings isn't a big deal," she boasted, her voice gaining more confidence with each sentence.

"She still needs more practice," Jalter said nonchalantly. "But she has potential."

"W-wha... hey, it's not like you're great either!" Elizabeth protested. Her tail shot into the air to show her displeasure.

"I have a style," Jalter said. It didn't sound like she would accept further argument on the subject.

"Huh, I didn't know you could sew, Elizabeth," Hakuno said, while Altera was dragging Jeanne over to the table to join in.

"A high-born lady should know how to do embroidery, little squirrel," Elizabeth stated. "It's not such a big leap from there."

"I'm impressed." Hakuno sounded genuine.

"As well you should be!" Elizabeth puffed her chest out with pride.

"Especially considering how things went when you tried to make cookies yesterday," Hakuno added with a smirk.

"Th-that... cooking classes weren't part of my upbringing!"

"How did it go?" Jeanne asked.

"They were horrible," Jalter answered. "And she somehow made scorch marks on the ceiling." She sounded a little amused.

Elizabeth huffed. "Salter still ate them," she said, and pouted.

"Salter eats anything," Jalter retorted.

"Ye!" Altera agreed.

Jeanne couldn't help smiling. This was a weird household, but it also felt strangely comfy. Maybe the best thing was to roll with. She took off her headpiece, gauntlets, and boots. "Hey Jeanne, could you help your big sister get her chest-plate off?" she asked.

"Eh? C-cut it out with the 'big sister' crap," Jalter grumbled. Her cheeks looked just a little pink. "But sure. Fine. I just hope you're dressed decently under there."

Jeanne's under-clothes weren't exactly high fashion, but they were comfortable, and if she was going to help draw, colour, or whatever, it would be more convenient than being clad in metal.

* * *

_Bonus:_

"Do you think I have an Alter, Praetor?" Nero asked.

"Hm? Wouldn't you know?" Hakuno responded with her own question, and leaned back in the bath. This was so nice for any soreness and stiffness she had. "Besides, I'm not sure what your Alter would even be like..."

"How so?" Nero tilted her head to the side.

"Well... let's just say... you have more..." Hakuno wasn't entirely sure how to phrase this. "You have a more colourful personality than Artoria or Jeanne."

Nero took that as a compliment. "Umu~."

"Wouldn't your Alter just be Elizabeth?" Hakuno suggested after thinking it over.

"Mu! That's a poor joke, Praetor!" Nero pouted.

"I mean, you're both musical, you both get migraines, you're opposites in certain ways..."

"I'm not going to count my rival as my Alter!" Nero grumbled.

Hakuno giggled. "Alright, I'm just teasing." She gently rubbed her leg against Nero's. "Why do you want an Alter, anyway?" As soon as she asked, a suspicion hit her. "... You just want to fuck her, don't you?"

"Umu!" Nero answered immediately. "W-well, not _only_ that, but... umu. She would naturally be really hot, if she was an alternate version of me. Who wouldn't want to try that out?"

Hakuno could tell that Nero had certainly thought this over. "You're shameless," she said with a sigh.

"Umu~!"

**Author's Note:**

> We were talking on twitter about what a potential Nero Lily or Nero Alter might be like.  
> Is it possible to make an innocent Nero? Even if you make her a child?  
> As for the Alter, a few ideas floated about. I kinda liked the one about it being an older, more cynical Nero. From when she supposedly burned Rome. Her dress would be soot black and singed. And she'd have a great, enchanting singing voice. ;3


End file.
